Hong Kong – Longbridge Group has appointed Henry Zhong as Chief Executive Officer of Long Bridge HK Limited, effective immediately. The AI-native financial technology company announced the move on 6 November.
Zhong will lead the group’s securities business in Hong Kong and drive its strategic development. He joins from SPDB International, where he most recently served as Deputy Chief Executive Officer.
The appointment follows that of Gavin Chia as Singapore and Regional CEO, Southeast Asia, in May 2026. Together, the two executives cover what Longbridge describes as its two core growth corridors in Asia.
Zhong brings nearly two decades of experience across commercial banking, investment banking, and securities. He has overseen regulated activities spanning investment banking, securities brokerage, private wealth, research and FICC businesses.
Longbridge says the hire marks a new stage of growth. In this phase, it says, its technology and product innovation must be matched by the governance, risk discipline and regulatory standards expected of a long-established financial institution.
“As Longbridge enters its next phase, we are bringing in leaders who have built and run licensed businesses inside major financial institutions,” said Nowa Zhu, Group CEO & Co-Founder of Longbridge Group.
“Henry has a strong track record in leading and scaling investment banking and securities businesses, as well as taking businesses from licence application to scale. He understands the needs of sophisticated investors, and he has operated at the highest regulatory standards throughout his career. That combination is exactly what we need to grow at scale, responsibly and sustainably,” Zhu continued.
Zhu added, “Henry’s institutional experience, combined with Longbridge’s technology and AI capabilities, strengthens our foundation for long term growth in Hong Kong.”
Zhong, for his part, said his career gave him a close view of how quickly financial services are changing. In his view, AI is reshaping how research is produced, how trading and advisory workflows operate, and how investors find, assess and act on opportunities.
He believes the next generation of financial leaders will be those that combine institutional discipline and regulatory rigour with technology at scale.
“I have spent my career building licensed financial businesses and have seen firsthand where the traditional model is being redefined,” said Zhong.
“Investors today expect intelligence, speed and transparency that conventional platforms were not designed to deliver. Longbridge was built for this moment, with AI at its core and a clear commitment to operating to the highest regulatory standards. I chose Longbridge because it is where institutional experience and technology can create the most value for investors, and that is where I want to build the next chapter of my career,” Zhong concluded.
“Sustainable growth in financial services is built on trust, and trust is built on robust risk management and compliance. The role of AI is not to make decisions for investors, but to give them better information and better tools so they can act with greater confidence,” stated Zhong.
Beyond the leadership change, Longbridge points to shifting investor behaviour across the region. It says portfolios now span multiple markets, asset classes and trading sessions, and that investors want market access alongside institutional-quality research and strong technology.
On the product side, the company says it builds AI into its investment platform across research, market analysis and trading workflows, rather than treating it as a standalone feature. It introduced pre-market trading for selected US stock options in 2025, which it describes as a world first.
In July 2026, Longbridge unveiled a broader suite of AI-powered investment products and open technology platforms for investors and developers. A key part of Zhong’s mandate is to extend these capabilities to a wider group of investors.
Products and services will be designed around local investor needs and delivered in line with the regulatory requirements of each market in which Longbridge operates. The appointment forms part of the group’s continued investment in leadership, technology and regulated businesses across Asia as it scales its regional presence.
